October 28, 2015

Ranking the change in achievement gap state by state

Connecticut led several other states in shrinking the achievement gap between minority students and their classmates in math and reading between 2013 and 2015, although the primary reason the gaps shrank is that higher achieving students scored lower on the national test use to measure performance. Read more about the gap.

Compared to the rest of the country, Connecticut placed:

Second in eight grade math among English Language Learners versus non-ELL (From a gap of 64.33 points to 53.04).

Third in fourth grade math among English Language Learners versus non-ELL (From 34.85 to 24.98).

Fifth in fourth grade math among students who qualify for free lunches versus those who do not (From 30.51 to 27.63).

Sixth in eight grade math between white and Hispanic students (From 38.77 to 33.39).

Connecticut is the second lowest state in overall average math scores in eighth grade math for its Hispanic students with a score of 261. Virginia has the highest average among that group at almost 279.

Hispanic students also have the sixth lowest average score in the country at 224 in fourth grade math.

In a handful of categories, Connecticut’s achievement gap actually increased between 2013 and 2015.

Eight grade math between white and black students (From 36.18 to 38.39)

Fourth grade reading between white and black students (From 30.66 to 34.6)

Eighth grade reading between white and black students (From 25.83 to 30.82)

Eighth grade reading between English Language Learners and non-ELL (From 54.72 to 57.59)

National Assessment of Educational Progress scores over time

4th CT

4th US

8th CT

8th US

Joseph Brzezinski

Are the same data available split out by school district or split showing the combined results of the largest 10 cities and all other towns. State statistics will be heavily dominated by large city results which may be different from all other districts. Likewise, given the apparent extra financial incentives for alliance, magnet, and charter schools, do the show results that justify the extra cost?